Lee Enterprises – owner of the Quad City Times and Dispatch-Argus newspapers – today (5/3) reported lower revenues and earnings for the second quarter despite "strong performance in digital retail."

Second quarter earnings were $2.5 million, 4 cents per share, for the quarter ended March 25, compared with $6.4 million, 11 cents per share, for the same period a year ago, according to the company news release.

Lee Enterprises – owner of the Quad City Times and Dispatch-Argus newspapers – today (2/1) reported higher net income and earnings for the first quarter ended Dec. 24, thanks primarily to a $19.7-million income tax adjustment stemming from the recently passed federal tax reform legislation.

The Davenport-based media company reported net income for the first quarter of $35.3 million with $19.7 million of that total coming from a one-time adjustment to its deferred tax assets and liabilities to reflect the lowering of the federal base tax rate from 35 to 21 percent.

Back in 2007, Lee Enterprises, Inc. – owner of the Quad City Times and now the Dispatch/Argus – reported daily circulation of just over 1.6 million at its 51 newspapers. Today, that number is down to 788,000 at 47 newspapers, according to the company's latest annual report filed Friday (12/8).

In a libel lawsuit filed last week, ex-Davenport City Administrator Craig Malin claims the Quad City Times published false and misleading statements to "run him out of town" because of "his leadership in expanding access to public information, which the Quad City Times openly opposed."

The lawsuit filed June 15 in Scott County District Court names Lee Enterprises, owner of the Quad City Times, in addition to the newspaper and reporters Barb Ickes and Brian Wellner.

Lee Enterprises – owner of the Quad City Times – reported second quarter earnings Thursday (5/4) of $6.4 million, down 67 percent from the same period a year ago when a one-time insurance settlement added more than $13 million to the company's bottomline.

Net income for the three months ended March 26 was 11 cents per share compared with 36 cents per share for the same period a year ago.

A Stamford, CT investment firm that specializes in "stressed, distressed and out of favor companies" has acquired a 6.9 percent stake in Lee Enterprises, the Davenport-based media company which owns the Quad City Times.

Archview Investment Group L.P. reported today (2/14) that it had acquired 3.8 million shares of Lee stock as of Dec. 31, 2016. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules require disclosure when an individual or company acquires 5 percent or more ownership in a publicly traded firm.

Subscribers to the Quad City Times Sunday newspaper have fallen to 37,473, half the paper's circulation just 15 years ago.

And, for the first time, according to the Lee Enterprises, Inc. annual report to shareholders, Sunday circulation fell below that of the average circulation for its weekday editions.

Historically, Sunday papers typically have had much larger circulation than weekday editions. More advertising, ad circulars and more space for news have attracted readers to purchase single copies or opt for a Sunday- or weekend-only subscription.

The company's first quarter includes the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, typically the best advertising period for newspapers, and the results apparently disappointed investors. Shares of the Davenport-based media firm, owner of the Quad City Times, dropped more than 10 cents per share in heavy trading after the company announced its earnings.

Eight months after the Bettendorf sports complex opened for business, the city has yet to determine how much developers will contribute to the $760,000 cost overrun for streets, sewers and storm water detention for the facility.

Grain Processing Corporation (GPC) has been ordered to pay $50 million in damages to settle a class action lawsuit over air pollution from its Muscatine corn-milling plant that harmed thousands of nearby residents.

Iowa District Court Judge John Telleen gave preliminary approval of the... more